Absolute gross negligence!\r
\r
After years of living in apartments in the city of Chicago, I walked into Bill?s offices at 8 months pregnant (about 4 years ago), and purchased renter?s insurance, prior to moving into my first single-family home in the suburbs. No questions asked, (literally), Bill set me right up and sent me on my way. Little did I know, that his lack of questions would cost me big time in the end.\r
\r
4 years later, I?m facing the worst disaster of my life ? sewer flooding in our basement; the basement where our laundry room is located, as well as my toddler?s fully finished playroom, completely covered in the neighborhood?s waste, and nothing is salvageable. All the expensive linens we owned, nearly every towel, furniture, and almost all of my daughter?s toys?completely destroyed and deemed unsafe. Our home, deemed an actual bio-hazard and uninhabitable.\r
\r
One of the first things I did was contact Bill?s office and speak to one of his two assistants. I explained the emergency situation to her, and she immediately explained that I needed to file a claim, and she actually transferred me to the State Farm Claims Department. I went through all the motions ? I filed my claim via the telephone, I took pictures, I documented a list of lost items, I researched the cost of these items, etc. I spent many hours documenting this information for Bill and State Farm. My claim was assigned to a Claims Specialist the next morning, and she immediately left me a VM, urgently telling me to call Bill?s office again to discuss my policy and coverage directly with him. So I did?\r
\r
This time, I spoke with his other assistant. This second woman told me she didn?t know why the other assistant had transferred me to the Claims Department because I wasn?t even covered for flooding in my home. When I asked what that meant, she informed me that my claim was moot and I was out the total cost of all damages from this flood. She stated that normally they do not even offer renters flood insurance unless they know the renter is living in a basement. I informed her that (1) I lived in a tri-level single-family home with a fully-finished basement; and (2) Nobody ever even asked me what kind of home I was going to be renting. She asked, ?Didn?t Bill ask you if you if you were renting a home or apartment?? I said, ?No, he never asked me about any of that.? The truth is, I walked into Bill?s offices, asked him for the renter?s insurance, and he set me up without asking me a single question. I don?t know anything about this; he?s the professional, so I assumed he was doing his due diligence in ensuring I had the best coverage possible. Stupid me.\r
\r
I have immediately requested my State Farm coverage be transferred to another agent, as Bill has proven incompetent in setting up a policy acceptable for a single mother living in a single-family dwelling that has proven has the potential for floods. When I called to ask that my policy be transferred, he insulted me by calling me, ?dear?? It?s 2015, Bill?I?m not your kid or your grandchild or your spouse. I?m your (former) client. Try to act professional next time and don?t exacerbate the situation further by being condescending. And the next time a person walks into your offices to purchase renter?s insurance from you, please ask them IF THEY HAVE A BASEMENT IN THEIR HOME! Quite honestly, if you?ve forgotten the simple rules of business and tact, it might be time to consider retirement.
more